U.S. Pat. No. 6,234,105 granted to Ronald C. Lamparter May 22, 2001 discloses a crossing control arm assembly that is attached to the front of a school bus bumper. The crossing control arm assembly has an actuator and a crossing arm that is pivotally attached to the actuator. The crossing arm is stored adjacent the front of the bumper and pivoted outward by the actuator to a deployed position generally perpendicular to the bumper when the school bus stops to pick-up or discharge children. The deployed crossing arm prevents children from walking directly in front of the bus where the bus driver does not have a clear view.
In the past, school busses were largely designed with “add-on” bumpers that were attached to the chassis by brackets so as to stick out in front of the school bus body to protect the school bus body in a front end collision.
School busses are now being designed with styling in mind resulting in more aerodynamic looking bus bodies with styled front bumpers that are closer to the school bus body and shaped to blend into the school bus body. Styled front bumpers are more curved and contoured making it difficult to shape the crossing arm for storage adjacent the front of the bumper and an adequate projection in the deployed position.